Vehicle Description
Here we have a remarkable 1958 Lincoln Continental Mark 3
Convertible. 1 of only 3,048 produced in 1958. No expense spared
comprehensive ground up restoration. Equipped with a very rare
Mercury Tri-Power setup making 400 Horsepower. Loaded with all of
the factory options. Power steering, power brakes, power windows,
leather power seats, air conditioning, fender skirts and power top.
The 1958 Continental Mark III cars and 1959 Lincoln Continental
Mark IV and 1960 Lincoln Continental Mark V cars are largely
forgotten, and in fact, were purposely "un-remembered" by Ford
Motor Company which introduced a new Lincoln Continental Mark III
in 1968 in the genre of the 1956-1957 cars, but at a far more
"popularly priced" sales point. These 1958-1960 cars were the
largest unit-construction cars ever built, and were constructed
alongside the Ford "squarebird" Thunderbird four seaters at a brand
new Wixom, Michigan plant. As noted, by 1959, the Continental
Division was no more and was absorbed back into Lincoln, with
Continental merely being the upscale model name for the higher
priced Lincolns. But in fact, 1958 cars were exactly that - but
merely sold by a special division through Lincoln dealers. These
cars are so forgotten that they now must be so rare as to be highly
collectible. When is the last time that you saw one? Mark III, IV
and V Continental convertibles are, in fact, Milestone cars.
Interestingly enough, these cars weighed in at over 2 � tons and
were considered massive, heavy, comfortable, ultra-luxury cars when
new - but weigh no more than many large SUV's of the current day.
Fuel economy, however, is an oxymoron with these cars due to their
then all-new, massive and heavy 430 cubic inch V8 engine initially
producing as much as 400 hp, with three two-barrel carburetors
(which were a 1958 factory option). Even the wealthy were
complaining about 9 miles per gallon given the high prices of
premium leaded gas at some 30 cents per gallon!
